Summers County, West Virginia

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.3 | 11,581 people · 12th most distressed in West Virginia
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Summers County, WV registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.3 — 868th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within West Virginia, it ranks 12th of 55 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Summers County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 90.5 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 90.5
Unemployment Rate 83
Poverty Rate 92
Income vs. State Median 87
Child Poverty Rate 89
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 70.0
Debt in Collections 73
Medical Debt 57
Auto Loan Delinquency 86
Credit Card Delinquency 94
Uninsured Rate 11
Subprime Credit Population 65
Economic Vitality 61.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 47
Rent-to-Income Ratio 71
Business Formation Rate 67
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Legal Distress 37.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 38
Housing Cost Burden 32.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 40
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 35
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 25
Homeownership Rate 15

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Summers County
Summers County, WV 61.3 Elevated —
Mercer County, WV 64.6 Elevated +3.3
Raleigh County, WV 64.1 Elevated +2.8
Fayette County, WV 62.8 Elevated +1.5
Greenbrier County, WV 54.6 Elevated -6.7
Monroe County, WV 48.5 Normal -12.8
Giles County, VA 41.9 Normal -19.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Summers County
Conway County, AR 61.3 Elevated 0.0
Chilton County, AL 61.3 Elevated +0.0
Franklin County, IL 61.3 Elevated +0.0
Caswell County, NC 61.3 Elevated +0.0
Aransas County, TX 61.4 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Summers County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Summers County

Find an Attorney

West Virginia State Bar Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

West Virginia State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 304-558-2456

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Summers County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid of West Virginia 1-866-255-4370
Mountain State Justice, Inc. 304-344-3144

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Summers County, West Virginia?

    Summers County has a County Distress Index score of 61.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 868th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 12th in West Virginia out of 55 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Summers County?

    The primary driver of distress in Summers County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 90.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Summers County compare to neighboring counties?

    Summers County (61.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Mercer County, WV (64.6); Raleigh County, WV (64.1); Fayette County, WV (62.8).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Elevated zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Summers County's score of 61.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Summers County's CDI score?

    Summers County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Summers County?

    Summers County, West Virginia has a population of approximately 11,581 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.